Hit Squad eye better show at Elite Africa Boxing Championships

Kenya’s national boxing team, Hit Squad, under coach Benjamin Musa is putting the finishing touches on its preparations for the World Boxing Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships, scheduled to take place at the Kasarani Indoor Arena from October 15 to 28, 2026.

“We began training last week with a squad of 40 boxers, comprising ten weight categories for women and ten for men.

"For the remaining weight classes, we have selected the top three boxers based on their performances at the Kenya Open and their consistency in the national league—not selecting players by merely being ‘one-hit wonders.’ We are continuing our training and expect to be fully prepared to represent our country effectively when the competition starts," said Coach Musa.

Twenty countries have confirmed their participation in the continental showpiece, setting the stage for an exciting competition that will bring together some of Africa’s finest elite male and female boxers in Nairobi.

“Nearly half of our squad consists of pugilists who will be representing the country for the first time, and we have high expectations for them because they show great potential. We hope to win a large number of medals and will also use this competition to prepare for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.”

With the championship fast approaching, Hit Squad is entering the final phase of its preparations as the team gears up to compete against top boxing talent from across the continent.

“We expect more than 20 nations to participate; 15 have already confirmed their involvement, and ten have finalized their player rosters and full delegations—with others continuing to do so. We anticipate fierce competition, which will be excellent for us as it allows us to effectively gauge our strength alongside contending for medals.

The countries are as follows:

Egypt, Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Libya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia, Kenya, Bénin, Botswana, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Sudan, Togo, Nigeria